Bob Margolin gives Thanks to celebrate 50 years since he joined Muddy Waters Band. He plays the same Gibson archtop electric guitar that he played next to Muddy and The Band in The Last Waltz on every song on the album.
He recorded one song by Muddy from 1952, and one that he and Muddy wrote together in 1977. He sings “The Shape I’m” In by The Band as a blues with 4-part harmony. He interprets Willie Dixon’s “Who,” first done by Little Walter but later performed with Bob by R&B legend Nappy Brown. He covered “Hard Working Man” by his friend Jimmy Rogers, a Chicago Blues legend who played guitar with Muddy 25 years before Bob did. He rearranged Paul Gayten’s “For You My Love,” which Bob used to play with piano legend Pinetop Perkins when they played together with Muddy until Pinetop passed at 97 in 2011. And he played four of his own songs, rearranging them to be played on that Gibson archtop now.
Old songs, old guitar, new fire.
Bob created every sound on the album except for the joyous bark of Levon Margolin, Bob’s Border Collie, during the guitar solo in “No Consolation.” He tracked, mixed, mastered and produced the album — a very personal labor of love and a five-decade journey. His time in Muddy’s band ended in 1980 and Muddy passed in 1983. Muddy’s unique spirit and voice are gone, but he deliberately placed Bob on the bandstand where he could follow, watch and learn. Particularly on slide guitar, Bob can evoke Muddy.
After playing seven years with Muddy, six months later I opened a show for him. After an encore of Little Walter’s ‘Just Keep Lovin’ Her,’ which came out in 1949, like me, Muddy got up from the dressing room couch, put his hands on my shoulders, and told me, ‘I haven’t heard that song in 30 years. You’re keeping the Old School alive!’ It’s the deepest compliment I’ve ever gotten. I love Old School Chicago Blues and live to play it.
Bob Margolin
It was a surprise thrill starting in 2016 to play on celebrations of The Last Waltz with an all-star family of today’s finest musicians. I played Muddy’s “Mannish Boy” song and it went over so well I was asked to play more Blues. I loved playing with the amazing musicians and listening to their versions of songs by The Band and their guests at the Last Waltz. One honored special guest we had in November 2019 was the recently-departed Robbie Robertson, guitarist and songwriter from The Band. When I saw him for the first time since 1976, he observed correctly, ‘We don’t look like that anymore.’
Then Robbie and I kinda time traveled to the 1976 Last Waltz rehearsals for Muddy’s songs, how Muddy’s magnetism both drew in and scared the other musicians, and how Paul Butterfield had created a haunting harp warble behind Muddy’s voice for ‘Mannish Boy.’ I told Robbie that Muddy loved Paul’s playing on that. Robbie remembered more than I did about those rehearsals.
And in that moment we were back in 1976 while we indeed did not ‘look like that anymore.’ I’m blessed to have played with some truly great musicians. I fully valued it in the moment and ever since. And I celebrate that every time I play, more than ever. THANKS to all of them.
Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel on drums, Bob Margolin with the ES-150.
In case you missed it, listen to “Going Down to Main St.” Originally released in 1952 by Muddy and his original band featuring Jimmy Rogers on second guitar and Little Walter on harp, it has always been one of his favorite Muddy songs from before he was in his band.
Muddy didn’t play it often, but In 1975 Margolin recorded it with him for The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album, featuring Levon Helm and Paul Butterfield. He dedicates this song to Levon, too, who also liked singing it. With that same special slide guitar that sings, the song swings!
